OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Hermiston, OR 97838

Hermiston: median income $69,599, home value $306,500, $236/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Crescent City, CA 95531 92%370$67,458$351,400$247 pricier homes ($45K more) · older residents
Moses Lake, WA 98837 92%89$74,586$315,000$234 larger · less walkable
Yakima, WA 98903 91%85$75,343$287,400$269 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55433 90%1,253$78,054$296,900$191 Very close on everything we compare
Caldwell, ID 83605 90%197$68,427$346,100$239 pricier homes ($40K more) · more single-family homes
Nampa, ID 83651 90%205$69,914$338,900$243 pricier homes ($32K more) · more single-family homes
Corning, CA 96021 90%434$59,592$314,000$246 smaller
Anderson, CA 96007 89%403$61,357$309,700$256 older residents
Tucson, AZ 85730 88%1,046$62,090$246,100$203 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 5 min longer commute
Red Bluff, CA 96080 88%419$66,076$343,700$232 pricier homes ($37K more) · older residents
Tucson, AZ 85746 87%1,044$68,903$241,300$204 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Spokane, WA 99217 87%162$73,620$377,400$232 pricier homes ($71K more)
Panama City, FL 32405 86%2,102$73,373$279,900$196 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80915 86%885$72,352$350,600$199 pricier homes ($44K more)
Fruitland, ID 83619 86%172$66,267$348,300$254 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Vernal, UT 84078 86%616$75,113$309,000$176 less walkable
Peoria, AZ 85345 86%926$67,380$319,800$242 larger · 8 min longer commute
Farmington, NM 87401 86%852$61,886$215,300$183 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Othello, WA 99344 86%71$64,888$281,900$234 younger residents
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 85%2,048$70,711$321,300$217 more renters
Brandon, FL 33510 85%2,358$74,245$328,200$216 6 min longer commute
Des Moines, IA 50320 85%1,312$85,105$216,900$205 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Midland, TX 79703 85%1,324$77,285$224,000— cheaper homes ($83K less)
Rock Springs, WY 82901 85%581$69,954$248,500$154 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Thousand Palms, CA 92276 85%846$77,000$268,700$286 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.